Bedeutung
People who are working together, often suspiciously.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'gyékény' (bulrush) was a versatile material in Hungarian peasant life, used for everything from mats to bags. Weaving it was a common winter activity in villages. In traditional Hungarian markets, your 'place' (hely) was your identity. Sharing that place was a sign of deep trust or a formal business merger. Hungarian culture often values 'seeing through' things. Idioms like this reflect a social pride in not being easily fooled by public appearances. You will frequently see this idiom in Hungarian political talk shows (e.g., on HírTV or ATV) to describe 'shady' deals between parties.
Use for 'Suspicious' Alliances
Remember that this idiom almost always carries a hint of 'I'm onto you.' Use it when you want to sound observant and a bit skeptical.
Plural is Key
Don't forget to use the plural 'árulnak' unless you are specifically saying 'X is in cahoots WITH Y' (X egy gyékényen árul Y-nal).
Bedeutung
People who are working together, often suspiciously.
Use for 'Suspicious' Alliances
Remember that this idiom almost always carries a hint of 'I'm onto you.' Use it when you want to sound observant and a bit skeptical.
Plural is Key
Don't forget to use the plural 'árulnak' unless you are specifically saying 'X is in cahoots WITH Y' (X egy gyékényen árul Y-nal).
The 'Kofa' Connection
The phrase is often associated with 'kofák' (market women). Using it can give your speech a slightly old-fashioned, storytelling flavor.
Political Context
If you read Hungarian news, look for this phrase in opinion pieces about coalitions or business deals.
Teste dich selbst
Which word is missing from the idiom?
A két politikus hirtelen egy ________ árul.
The idiom is 'egy gyékényen árulnak'.
In which situation would you use this phrase?
You see two rival coworkers whispering and then presenting the same idea.
The phrase describes secret cooperation.
Complete the sentence with the correctly conjugated verb.
Én nem akarok veletek egy gyékényen ________.
After 'akarok' (I want), we use the infinitive form 'árulni'.
What is the most natural response?
- Szerinted miért védte meg az igazgató a titkárát? - Mert szerintem ők már régóta...
This fits the context of a suspicious alliance.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Shared Space Idioms
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenA két politikus hirtelen egy ________ árul.
The idiom is 'egy gyékényen árulnak'.
You see two rival coworkers whispering and then presenting the same idea.
The phrase describes secret cooperation.
Én nem akarok veletek egy gyékényen ________.
After 'akarok' (I want), we use the infinitive form 'árulni'.
- Szerinted miért védte meg az igazgató a titkárát? - Mert szerintem ők már régóta...
This fits the context of a suspicious alliance.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNot exactly rude, but it is accusatory. It implies that people are being dishonest or sneaky.
Yes, but usually in a joking way, like 'I see you two are plotting something!'
It is a mat woven from bulrushes (reeds). It was a common household and market item in old Hungary.
Rarely. You would say 'Péter egy gyékényen árul Jánossal' (Péter is in cahoots with János).
Absolutely. It is a very common idiom in modern Hungarian speech and media.
Only if it's an informal meeting and you are describing a third party. Don't say it TO your business partners!
The closest are 'to be in cahoots' or 'to be in league with someone.'
No, the 'selling' part is purely metaphorical now. It can be about any shared activity.
Because 'gyékény' was the cheap, standard material used by vendors in the mud of the marketplace.
The grammar is simple enough for A1, but the cultural meaning is more advanced. It's a great 'bonus' phrase for beginners.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Egy malomban őrölnek
synonymTo work toward the same goal.
Egy követ fújnak
similarTo say the same thing/follow the same line.
Összejátszanak
specialized formTo collude.
Közös lónak túros a háta
contrastA shared horse has a sore back.
